Pipe transport device and piping method

Abstract

A pipe transport device that transports a pipe to be installed in an existing pipeline includes a pipe support that is a rod-shaped structure and penetrates the flexible pipe to support the pipe, and pipe transporters detachably supporting the pipe support and configured to transfer the supported pipe support. The pipe transporters are configured to transfer, in the existing pipeline, the pipe supported by the pipe support along an axial direction of the pipeline, in a state where the pipe transporters support the pipe support.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pipe transport device to transport a pipe to be installed in an existing pipeline, the pipe transport device comprising:
 a pipe support that is a rod-shaped structure and penetrates the pipe to support the pipe, the pipe having flexibility; and   a pipe transporter detachably supporting the pipe support and configured to transfer the supported pipe support, wherein   the pipe transporter is configured to transfer the pipe supported by the pipe support along an axial direction of the pipeline in the existing pipeline, in a state where the pipe transporter supports the pipe support.   
     
     
         2 . The pipe transport device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the pipe support includes:
 a rod-shaped portion extending in one direction; and 
 a projection portion that projects in a direction intersecting with the one direction with respect to the rod-shaped portion, and supports a coupling of the pipe, the pipe including a plurality of displacement portions and the coupling is configured to couple the displacement portions to each other. 
   
     
     
         3 . The pipe transport device according to  claim 2 , wherein a position of the projection portion in the one direction is adjustable relative to the rod-shaped portion. 
     
     
         4 . A piping method for installing a pipe in an existing pipeline, the method comprising:
 a pipe support insertion step of inserting a pipe support into the pipe having flexibility;   a pipe support supporting step of supporting the pipe support with a pipe transporter; and   a pipe transfer step of transferring by the pipe transporter, in the existing pipeline, the pipe supported by the pipe support along an axial direction of the pipeline.   
     
     
         5 . The piping method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 after the pipe transfer step, in a state where the pipe support is detached from the pipe transporter:   a pipe support pull-out step of pulling out the pipe support from the pipe; wherein   a pipeline includes a first straight pipe portion including an opening at one end, a bent pipe portion including one end connected to another end of the first straight pipe portion, and a second straight pipe portion including one end connected to another end of the bent pipe portion; and   the piping method further includes a moving step of pulling the pipe from the second straight pipe portion of the pipeline to move the pipe to the another end of the bent pipe portion while bending the pipe along a curve of the bent pipe portion.   
     
     
         6 . The piping method according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the moving step includes:
 a support ring setting step of setting a support ring in the second straight pipe portion; 
 a winding device disposing step of disposing a winding device in the support ring; 
 a coupling step of coupling the pipe and the winding device to each other by a wire; and 
 a pulling step of pulling the pipe toward the support ring by winding the wire by the winding device. 
   
     
     
         7 . The piping method according to  claim 5 , wherein in the pipe support pull-out step, a pipe lifting jig is set in the first straight pipe portion and lifts the pipe support relative to the pipe transporter so that the pipe support is separated from the pipe transporter and the pipe support is pulled out from the pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The piping method according to  claim 7 , wherein in the pipe support pull-out step, in the state where the pipe support is separated from the pipe transporter, the pipe transporter is retracted relative to the pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The piping method according to  claim 8 , further comprising a caster attachment step of attaching, to an outer surface of the pipe, a caster configured to move the pipe in the existing pipeline, before the moving step.